| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well?".
This poll was originally submitted by Christina Pauly. View the poll results »
| | | | Lieven Malaise
Belgium
Local time: 01:59
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
It doesn't happen frequently because I work almost always with clients with whom I have agreed on acceptable rates. But if rates are too low I honestly don't give a damn about how interesting a project might be. I refuse to work for peanuts.
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 01:59
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
| Occasionally | Jul 11, 2022 |
While I end up rejecting jobs fairly regularly for capacity reasons, those are mostly just more of my day-to-day business.
Some of the cold calls I receive from ProZ actually do sound interesting, but the rates offered for those are abysmal and I refuse to work for peanuts. Interesting or not, I have bills to pay.
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If an interesting project is not paid accordingly, it immediately stops being interesting to me, this doesn’t mean of course that I accept everything just because it's well-remunerated. Biting off more than you can chew causes more problems than I am willing to handle.
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:59
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| All the time | Jul 11, 2022 |
Poll question "Have you ever turned down a really interesting project because it would not have paid well?"
My answer: "all the time. But hey - no worries. There'll be another one along in a minute."
| | | | Nikolay Novitskiy 
Russian Federation
Local time: 04:59
Member (2018)
English to Russian
| All the times | Jul 11, 2022 |
There are lots of interesting projects, while I am the one and the only I'm kidding of course, but first and foremost I'm a businessman.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 02:59
Member
English to Turkish
I tend to reject TwB projects out of hand.
[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:30 GMT]
| | | | | There is interesting and "interesting" | Jul 11, 2022 |
If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).
On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag. <... See more If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).
On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.
[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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| Frequently or never | Jul 11, 2022 |
Frequently if "really interesting" is about the subject matter. None if it's about a decent business decision, because by definition no underpaid project can ever be interesting, no matter what it's about.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:59
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Edith van der Have wrote:
Frequently if "really interesting" is about the subject matter. None if it's about a decent business decision, because by definition no underpaid project can ever be interesting, no matter what it's about.
In fact it can be a lot worse than not "really interesting"; it can be downright awful if you translate a whole book, the author thinks your English is better than his Italian, and decides to rewrite the whole thing. And then does it again when you've re-translated it (and with no additional payment for any of this extra work).
I only made that mistake once. Never again. The annoying thing is that yes, the book was, and still is, interesting. https://tinyurl.com/2j7p8xjg
[Edited at 2022-07-11 14:13 GMT]
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 01:59
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
| "Interesting" in PM-Speak | Jul 11, 2022 |
Anton Konashenok wrote:
If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).
On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.
[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT]
In gaming translation, PMs will frequently call mobile games "interesting". A gamer myself, I have yet to find out what is so incredibly interesting about the 3575873535468743rd combine-three-or-more-jewels or run-of-the-mill role-playing game from China. The most "interesting" part about those is usually the completely absurd character limit.
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Alex Lichanow wrote: Anton Konashenok wrote:
If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).
On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.
[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT] In gaming translation, PMs will frequently call mobile games "interesting". A gamer myself, I have yet to find out what is so incredibly interesting about the 3575873535468743rd combine-three-or-more-jewels or run-of-the-mill role-playing game from China. The most "interesting" part about those is usually the completely absurd character limit.
PMs buzzwords like "exciting new project" or "enjoy being part of a very dynamic team” make my blood run cold…
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Barbara Carrara
Italy
Local time: 01:59
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
| Boiling point | Jul 11, 2022 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
PMs buzzwords like "exciting new project" or "enjoy being part of a very dynamic team” make my blood run cold…
Or boil, rather.
| | | | Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 01:59
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
| PM buzzwords | Jul 11, 2022 |
Teresa Borges wrote: Alex Lichanow wrote: Anton Konashenok wrote:
If the project is just less boring than average, I see no reason for a discount. However, on a few occasions I have given discounts to clients asking me to translate texts that gave me valuable knowledge for my other career (no, there was no breach of confidentiality in that).
On the other hand, the word "interesting" is often used by project managers as an excuse for not paying a decent rate. A phrase like "we have a really interesting project for you" is a huge red flag.
[Edited at 2022-07-11 12:36 GMT] In gaming translation, PMs will frequently call mobile games "interesting". A gamer myself, I have yet to find out what is so incredibly interesting about the 3575873535468743rd combine-three-or-more-jewels or run-of-the-mill role-playing game from China. The most "interesting" part about those is usually the completely absurd character limit. PMs buzzwords like "exciting new project" or "enjoy being part of a very dynamic team” make my blood run cold…
Unfortunately, the PMs of my biggest gaming customer are liable to send emails with just those buzzwords. I mean, I love working for those guys (mostly) and they actually do have cool projects, but whenever I get an "exciting new project", my first reaction will be to cringe and/or groan.
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 19:59
Japanese to English
+ ...
| Really interesting project? | Jul 11, 2022 |
For me, a "project that would not have paid well" is not "a really interesting project".
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